ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A federal appeals court has affirmed the conviction and sentence of an ex-Albuquerque police officer who tipped off a friend to a drug trafficking investigation.

Brad Ahrensfield had appealed based on various [auth] claims of error by the trial court. His arguments were rejected Wednesday by a three-judge panel of the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Prosecutors had said Ahrensfield told a friend that his car dealership was under investigation by state and federal agents who were looking into drug sales, stolen property and related crimes. Authorities said they had to shut down their investigation because of Ahrensfield’s actions.

The former officer was sentenced last year to six months and one day in prison for his conviction on one count of obstruction of justice. He must also serve three years of supervised release.